Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Corumba (Agenzia Fides) – 90 group leaders from the Diocese of Corumba (in the State of Southern Matto Grosso – MS) met last weekend to study, reflect, and deepen in the theme of the Continental Mission. The Secretary of the National Missionary Council and consultant from the Bishops' Commission for Missionary Animation of the CNBB, Fr. Altevir José da Silva, CSSP, wrote to Fides on the meeting.
“The Church is called to profoundly re-think and relaunch her mission with fidelity and courage in these new circumstances in Latin America and throughout the world,” said Fr. Altevir, quoting words from the document drawn up at the Fifth Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Carribbean. “This clear missionary decision should involve all the Church structures as well as the pastoral plans of the dioceses, parishes, religious communities, movements, and every Church institution,” he added.
According to Fr. Altevir, the plan for the Continental Mission seeks to place the Church and all those in the Church in a permanent state of mission. “This requires the entire Church undergoing a pastoral conversion, the audacity to conform our lives more to the Gospel, that all become disciples and participate actively in pastoral work. To carry out this task, we should live out a spirituality of communion,” Fr. Altevir explained.
The diocesan Bishop of Corumba, Bishop Segismundo Martinez, also participated in the meeting and encouraged the participants, laity, and priests, to embrace the “contents to be transmitted in the Continental Mission.” Bishop Segismundo also mentioned that the Diocesan Pastoral Plan considers “the commitment to the missionary dimension as a foremost concern.” (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 09/08/2010)
